Thomas Paine:
“ It has been the error of the schools to teach astronomy, and all the other sciences, and subjects of natural philosophy, as accomplishments only;
whereas they should be taught theologically, or with reference to the Being who is the author of them: for all the principles of science are of divine
origin. Man cannot make, or invent, or contrive principles: he can only discover them; and he ought to look through the discovery to the Author.”
“ The evil that has resulted from the error of the schools, in teaching natural philosophy as an accomplishment only, has been that of generating in
the pupils a species of atheism. Instead of looking through the works of creation to the Creator himself, they stop short, and employ the knowledge
they acquire to create doubts of his existence. They labour with studied ingenuity to ascribe every thing they behold to innate properties of matter,
and jump over all the rest by saying, that matter is eternal.” “The Existence of God--1810”

Benjamin Rush:
• “I lament that we waste so much time and money in punishing crimes and take so little pains to prevent them…we neglect the only means of
establishing and perpetuating our republican forms of government; that is, the universal education of our youth in the principles of Christianity by
means of the Bible; for this Divine Book, above all others, constitutes the soul of republicanism.” “By withholding the knowledge of [the
Scriptures] from children, we deprive ourselves of the best means of awakening moral sensibility in their minds.” [Letter written (1790’s) in
Defense of the Bible in all schools in America]
• “Christianity is the only true and perfect religion.”
• “If moral precepts alone could have reformed mankind, the mission of the Son of God into our world would have been unnecessary.”

"Let the children who are sent to those schools be taught to read and write and above all, let both sexes be carefully instructed in the principles
and obligations of the Christian religion. This is the most essential part of education”
Letters of Benjamin Rush, "To the citizens of Philadelphia: A Plan for Free Schools", March 28, 1787

Justice Joseph Story:
“ I verily believe Christianity necessary to the support of civil society. One of the beautiful boasts of our municipal jurisprudence is that
Christianity is a part of the Common Law. . . There never has been a period in which the Common Law did not recognize Christianity as lying its
foundations.”
[Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States p. 593]
“ Infidels and pagans were banished from the halls of justice as unworthy of credit.” [Life and letters of Joseph Story, Vol. II 1851, pp.
8-9.]
“ At the time of the adoption of the constitution, and of the amendment to it, now under consideration [i.e., the First Amendment], the general, if
not the universal sentiment in America was, that Christianity ought to receive encouragement from the state, so far as was not incompatible with the
private rights of conscience, and the freedom of religious worship.”
[Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States p. 593]

Noah Webster:
“ The duties of men are summarily comprised in the Ten Commandments, consisting of two tables; one comprehending the duties which we owe immediately
to God-the other, the duties we owe to our fellow men.”

“In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be
instructed...No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights
and privileges of a free people.”
[Source: 1828, in the preface to his American Dictionary of the English Language]

Let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers just men who will rule in the fear of God [Exodus 18:21]. . . . If the
citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted . . . If our government fails to secure public
prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the Divine commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the laws. [Noah
Webster, The History of the United States (New Haven: Durrie and Peck, 1832), pp. 336-337, 49]

“All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from their despising or
neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.” [Noah Webster. History. p. 339]

Farewell Address: The name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism, more than any
appellation derived from local discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion" ...and later: "...reason and
experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle..."

“ It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and Bible.”

“What students would learn in American schools above all is the religion of Jesus Christ.” [speech to the Delaware Indian Chiefs May 12, 1779]

"To the distinguished character of patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian" [May 2, 1778, at
Valley Forge]

During his inauguration, Washington took the oath as prescribed by the Constitution but added several religious components to that official ceremony.
Before taking his oath of office, he summoned a Bible on which to take the oath, added the words “So help me God!” to the end of the oath, then
leaned over and kissed the Bible.

Nelly Custis-Lewis (Washington’s adopted daughter):
Is it necessary that any one should [ask], “Did General Washington avow himself to be a believer in Christianity?" As well may we question his
patriotism, his heroic devotion to his country. His mottos were, "Deeds, not Words"; and, "For God and my Country."

“ O Most Glorious God, in Jesus Christ, my merciful and loving Father; I acknowledge and confess my guilt in the weak and imperfect performance of
the duties of this day. I have called on Thee for pardon and forgiveness of my sins, but so coldly and carelessly that my prayers are become my sin,
and they stand in need of pardon.”
“ I have sinned against heaven and before Thee in thought, word, and deed. I have contemned Thy majesty and holy laws. I have likewise sinned by
omitting what I ought to have done and committing what I ought not. I have rebelled against the light, despising Thy mercies and judgment, and broken
my vows and promise. I have neglected the better things. My iniquities are multiplied and my sins are very great. I confess them, O Lord, with shame
and sorrow, detestation and loathing and desire to be vile in my own eyes as I have rendered myself vile in Thine. I humbly beseech Thee to be
merciful to me in the free pardon of my sins for the sake of Thy dear Son and only Savior Jesus Christ who came to call not the righteous, but sinners
to repentance. Thou gavest Thy Son to die for me.”
[George Washington; from a 24 page authentic handwritten manuscript book dated April 21-23, 1752
William J. Johnson George Washington, the Christian (New York: The Abingdon Press, New York & Cincinnati, 1919), pp. 24-35.]

"Although guided by our excellent Constitution in the discharge of official duties, and actuated, through the whole course of my public life, solely
by a wish to promote the best interests of our country; yet, without the beneficial interposition of the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, we could not
have reached the distinguished situation which we have attained with such unprecedented rapidity. To HIM, therefore, should we bow with gratitude and
reverence, and endeavor to merit a continuance of HIS special favors". [1797 letter to John Adams]

James Wilson:
Signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution
Supreme Court Justice appointed by George Washington
Spoke 168 times during the Constitutional Convention

"Christianity is part of the common law"
[Sources: James Wilson, Course of Lectures [vol 3, p.122]; and quoted in Updegraph v. The Commonwealth, 11 Serg, & R. 393, 403 (1824).]

Public Institutions
Liberty Bell Inscription:
“ Proclaim liberty throughout the land and to all the inhabitants thereof” [Leviticus 25:10]

Originally posted by blupblup
And as i have pointed out several times yest you still refuse to address....what has SKEPTICISM got to do with GOD???

???????????????????

Are you serious?????????

You history says NO...you are just playing....

Skeptic? ummm??

Perhaps the broadest criticism of the possibility of absolute truth is to be found in the skeptic's argument regarding the criterion of truth.
Any criterion used to judge the truth of a claim can be challenged because a further criterion is needed by which to judge the present criterion, and
so on ad infinitum. This argument did not deter philosophers such as Plato and Descartes from claiming to have found an absolutely impeccable
criterion of truth. While most skeptics would reject the notion that such criteria are what their advocates claim them to be, most would probably
accept the arguments of St. Augustine and others that there are absolutely certain claims, but that these are matters of Logic or definition and have
nothing to do with establishing the certainty of any claim that goes beyond immediate perception.

The ancient skeptics did not all agree on even the most fundamental of matters, such as whether certainty and knowledge are possible. Some believed
that they knew certainty was not possible; others claimed that they did not know whether knowledge is possible. The position that one knows that
knowledge is impossible seems to be self-refuting. The view that one does not know whether knowledge is possible is consistent with the notion that it
makes sense to strive to know, even if one can't be sure that one will arrive at knowledge. And, while some ancient skeptics seem to have advocated
that the ideal is to have no strong opinions, most seem to have maintained that when there was a preponderance of evidence supporting the probability
of one position rather than another, then belief in the more probable position was desirable. Most ancient Skeptics do not seem to have believed that
simply because one cannot be absolutely certain about anything, one should therefore suspend judgment on all things. Such a view would be
self-refuting. For, according to the principle itself one should not accept it, but suspend judgment on it. Suspending judgment on claims should be
reserved for those claims one knows nothing about, or can know nothing about, and for those claims for which the evidence is proportionate on opposing
sides. It may be true that nothing is absolutely certain, but it is not true that all claims are equally probable. A reasonable person uses
probability as a guide to belief, not absolute certainty, according to most philosophical skeptics.

The Greek word skeptikoi means seekers or inquirers. Socrates, who claimed that the only thing he knew was that he knew nothing, frequently said
"Skepteon," meaning we must investigate this. The Pyrrhonists sought the truth, even if most of the time that meant that they sought contrary
arguments to dogmatic positions held by other philosophers, such as the Stoics or Epicureans. On those issues where argument and counterargument
equaled one another, the Pyrrhonists held that we should suspend judgment. They apparently found that such a stance fit well with their desired goal
of peace of mind (ataraxia). For, it is the dogmatist who gets agitated when he doesn't possess the good or truth he knows he should have, or when
others refuse to accept what he knows is the truth.

I was thinking of posting something constructive when i first read your OP, but as you blatantly seem to ignore anyone who is asking questions other
than with a sarcastic or nonsensical response...i see little point.

You are right. Skepticism has nothing to do with the topic. It's a broad term.

Atheism would be an appropriate term.

I see that there's no solving the problem here. The OP danced around by responding with silly posts and quotes from the founding fathers which I can
reply with anti-christianity quotes from the very same people.

I could get back into the game.... actually I'm kinda back in the game

Reading the way your post was written and your sarcastic pride filled responses to others, and in particular to BlupBlup, to me shows your obvious
agenda to create divisions between the people you are suppose to show respect and love to.

And in relation to Obama saying he believes in prayer, and having a national day of prayer, to me is neither here nor there.

A true Christian, or believer in God, would already be praying every day for what is needed, and to be told to pray on a certain day means nothing. I
would hope people would be praying all the time.

If Obama knows this, as a real Christian, or believer in God, why does he need to advertise his own belief. Maybe another agenda?

Therefore to me, it means nothing his beliefs, and the possible motives for advertising them.

I don't know what you believe, but you are not showing the fruits of God.

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